From the Research
Individuals living in or traveling to areas where chikungunya virus is endemic or experiencing outbreaks should consider getting a chikungunya vaccine, as evidenced by the recent approval of VLA1553/IXCHIQ, a live-attenuated chikungunya vaccine, as reported in the Journal of Travel Medicine 1. This primarily includes regions in Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, and parts of the Americas where the Aedes mosquitoes that transmit the virus are common. Those at highest risk who would benefit most from vaccination include:
- Travelers to these endemic areas, especially during rainy seasons when mosquito populations increase
- Residents of endemic regions
- Older adults and people with underlying medical conditions who may experience more severe disease
- Pregnant women, as the virus can be transmitted to the fetus The safety profiles of vaccine platforms used in Chikungunya vaccines have been explored in other vaccines, and results from an umbrella review suggest that these platforms exhibit acceptable safety profiles in pregnant persons, children, and adolescents 2. Until vaccines become widely available, prevention relies on avoiding mosquito bites through repellents containing DEET or picaridin, wearing long-sleeved clothing, using bed nets, and eliminating standing water where mosquitoes breed. Chikungunya causes fever, severe joint pain, muscle pain, headache, and rash, with joint symptoms potentially persisting for months or years in some cases, making prevention particularly important, as highlighted in a review of Chikungunya virus vaccines 3. A live-attenuated CHIKV vaccine was well tolerated and highly immunogenic in an adult population, as demonstrated in a phase 1 clinical trial 4, and a virus-like particle vaccine compared with placebo demonstrated safety and tolerability in a phase 2 clinical trial 5.